A Dragon's Gold
by LokisChampion
Summary: A little oneshot inspired by my adventures in Skryim. Thor and the Warriors Three are sent to Midgard to get some gold from the vault, barely ready to face the 'dragon' that hoards the cave.


As Thor, Fandral, Sif and Hogun approached the vault, their gold left on Midgard, Odin had warned them of a dragon who hoarded it. It had slain all the other warriors who had been sent to take some, so he sent his four best and brightest, sure they could beat the monster back.

"Be careful." Thor said, drawing Mjolnir in his hands, hearing the other swords slash from their sheaths, ready to draw blood if provocked, and he slowly began his walk forward.

The gold itself was deep inside a cave, hidden from mortal eyes. But Thor had reason to believe that this dragon they were to face wasn't mortal at all, he had a feeling it was something, or someone much more powerful; someone to gamble with.

As they approached, they heard the loud, screeching scream from beneath the surface, rumbling the ground beneath their feet as Thor turned his eyes to the mouth of the cave, and he saw it. The head of a green dragon was emerging from the darkness, it's bright green eyes glowing at his as he walked with massive strides into the open space; Odin was correct.

This dragon was easily dwarfing them, towering above them as its claws scraped into the dirt. It's feet were as big as Thor alone, the claws about the size of Mjolnir, and its neck was long and thick, like a tree trunk. The body was thick as well, built to take anything that could be thrown at it. The scales were smooth and sparkling softly with a golden sheen about it, but barely perceptible. It also had a very cold temperature oozing from it as its breathing was long, easy and thunderous as it blew a massive wind at them. Thor noticed its green eyes were locked upon him, unmoving and steely.

Taking advantage of its distracted attention, the Warriors Three dashed around it, slashing, sticking and hitting its legs, and the dragon let out a small growl from deep in its throat as it looked away and took in the warriors hitting him. With a slash of its tail, the warriors went flying across the space, hitting a rock wall hard, but that didn't stop them.

Thor, however, was the only one who noticed the dragon healing its broken skin.

"Don't fight it!" Thor hollered to his company, but they got close enough to make a green force field swish out from the dragons feet, and they were blown backwards, their arms across their chests as a savagely cold wind swirling around them.

As Thor watched, the dragon shrunk, morphed and then stood, in an icy heap, a man; or perhaps a god, about his size. He wore dark green scaly armor on his limbs and torso, but his shoulder had an odd formation of black leather and so around his waist, where a line of fabric hung in between his legs, down to his knees, a little tattered, but his feet were cloaked in leather. His hair was black and stopping just below his shoulders, swirling in the wind behind him. His skin was pale, like ivory and his eyes were red.

"Smart move." The man said, an accent glaring in his voice as it was spoken in a bit of a deeper tone. Those red eyes again locked on Thor's blue ones, unmoving as he strode forward in the slightly snowy ground, leaving footsteps behind. "Your company, however," he said, eyeing the Warriors Three, who had to restrain Sif. "They could use some work." He said.

"Step aside." Thor said, but he couldn't help but become entranced in the mans appearance. He seemed beautiful in a way of handsome charm and rugged living ways. It was only now that Thor noticed markings that rose on his pale skin, along his face and neck that he could see, which gave him a clue as to what this creature could be.

"Whose to say I couldn't kill you instead?" The man asked, making a glowing green orb of flame grow in his palm.

"You would die before your hand fell!" The woman called, but she was still restrained by her company, making the man chuckle softly before indeed lowering his hand.

"Sweet." He said at Thor.

"Let us pass." He said.

"It's my gold, Odinson. No longer yours." The man said.

"You know of me?" Thor asked.

The mans smile vanished and he walked towards Thor, a haunted look in his red eyes. "You're the son of the King who slaughtered my family, only to use my caves as a place of secrecy." The man gestured back at the cave entrance, then looked back to Thor. "That treasure has always been mine, for I never left, even after my blood had been spilled." Thor felt the wind from the mans expelled breath on his cheek, it was cold.

"Just give us a sack of the gold." Fandral said, drawing the mans icy gaze.

"Didn't you know? A dragon never parts from his gold." Loki said, before walking around Thor very slowly in a circle, eyeing him from head to foot. "However," his hand grazed Thor's arm, shoulders and back. Thor thought the touches were impeccably gentle, tender, welcoming. "I would be willing to part with all the gold in that cave for you." He stopped in front of Thor, running a hand on Thor's jaw before letting it fall to his side.

"I know who you are." Thor said, making the man smile in amusement.

"Tell me." He said.

"Loki, heir to the throne of frost giants. Abandoned when it was destroyed over ten centuries ago. You fled here, and now you assume your spot in society. A fearsome, powerful sorcerer, feared by all kings of the Nine Realms." Thor said, making Loki nod.

"Surprising, that you know my name." He said. "After all these wasted years, you come here."

"Will you spare us?" Hogun asked.

Loki's eyes ventured to them, his red scanning their browns and blues. He smirked and chuckled before turning on them, walking back to the cave. "Get out of my sight." He said, now turning to face them. "For next time, I will not be so kind." He said. His eyes again locked with Thor's as he vanished in a blinding green light and grew back into the enormous green dragon, his green eyes trained on them as Thor and the others walked backwards, back to where Heimdall had deposited them.

"_Be warned._" The dragon said in all their ears. "_You may lose another of your precious gems if you come again._" His green eyes leered on Thor as they vanished in the rainbow cocoon, and in the wake of their vanish, they heard the roar of the mighty dragon that prowled the undeserving realm of Midgard.


End file.
